Just before his 20th birthday, Kent Parson is hooking up with a stranger in the back of a bar. A year later, he's captain of the Las Vegas Aces, has won the Stanley Cup, and finally sees Jack Zimmermann again.

Kenny's name had been coming up a lot. Partly because these days, it was hard to talk about the NHL without talking about Kent Parson. Partly because before Samwell, Jack's experience of an American Independence Day had always included a birthday party for Kenny. Partly because - well, because being in Madison with Bitty was. Well. Strange and uncomfortable, in a lot of ways, this week of all weeks, that maybe had Jack worrying at those old frayed ends more than usual.